During our week 2 tutorial, many different contemporary technologies were introduced that could be integrated in today’s classrooms to help foster creativity in students and suit the rapidly changing technological time. These technologies can be integrated in teaching practices to help students foster their creativity while being engaged. We were given the opportunity to use these technologies first-hand to not only see how they work but to also see how we as teachers can use them along with the strength and weaknesses of each technology.
A technology that I really enjoyed using was the 3D pen, which is a relatively inexpensive handheld device that uses melted plastic filament to draw in 3D.
I used it to create a triangular prism and a ring to wear. I found it interesting as it fostered my creativity in an interactive way which encouraged me to create a tangible and functional object.
A 3D pen can be used while teaching students concepts in many different subjects such as art and mathematics. An example would be teaching stage 3- 3D objects, whereas part of the curriculum they have to Visualise and sketch three-dimensional objects from different views, including top, front and side views (Stage 3 (Years 5–6) | NSW Curriculum | NSW Education Standards Authority.). Using the pen to create 3D shapes will help them physically see the different views. This would be beneficial for the students as it fosters a high level of creativity as they use their imagination while also improving their spatial reasoning and fine motor skills (Ahmed, S. A., & Campbell, M. 2017). Through personal experience, using the pen can help develop problem-solving skills as they work through the complexities of creating their designs. Using the pen also takes on a constructivist approach as students play an active role in constructing their knowledge as they create 3D shapes that reflect their understanding and thereby strengthening their learning through the process of making.
Besides the advantages, there may be some disadvantages to utilising a 3D pen in the classroom. One of these is that it could be challenging for people with poor fine motor skills or hand dexterity issues (Peng, C. H., Wu, J. H., & Tsai, C. H. 2019).. Another issue is that using a pen to create a 3D object might take a lot of time, which might conflict with some students' class schedules.
Ultimately, the employment of 3D pens in the classroom offers a dynamic and stimulating experience for students to cultivate their creativity and gain new abilities. Although there may be certain limits when adopting this technology, its advantages make it a beneficial tool to add to classrooms.
References
Ahmed, S. A., & Campbell, M. (2017). The effects of 3D printing pens on elementary school students’ spatial visualisation skills. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 55(8), 1067-1084.
Peng, C. H., Wu, J. H., & Tsai, C. H. (2019). Effects of 3D printing pen on creativity and spatial ability in engineering education. Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 33(5), 2165-2172.
Rui, J., & Liu, Z. (2019). 3D Printing Pens in the Classroom: A Pilot Study. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 14(1), 4-15.
Three-dimensiona spatial structure A. Stage 3 (years 5-6), NSW curriculum. NSW education standards authority. . https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/stages/primary/stage-3
ChatGPT has been used to generate an initial draft of this post.
The 3Doodler. (n.d.). Home. https://intl.the3doodler.com/
Hello Souraya Fadda,
Thank you so much for your blog it was really enjoyable and very easy to navigate. I really enjoyed looking at your images of how you used the software. I liked how you states the advantages and some disadvantages of the software and clearly linked each point to your main idea. Great link to the Syllabus dot point especially stating the year you believe it works most best, I would however suggest adding some pedagogical approach. Overall I really enjoyed your blog, great job.
Mariam Haideri (47084634) - 19/03/2023)